Goodwin - The Inside View

Want to hear the secrets of this Boston native? Well, it’s time to spill the tea (party… too soon?). Goodwin’s national presence as a corporate and litigation juggernaut is evident on the surface, but the real reason for the firm’s success is its commitment to the people walking its halls: “The people here care about a human approach to things and their people’s welfare,” an associate affirmed. This sentiment echoed among our interviewees who signposted the firm’s kindness and understanding as huge reasons to stay at Goodwin. “They know that your outside life should be respected,” one nodded, “and that work is not always the end all and be all.”

“I didn’t want a firm where the Boston office was an afterthought, so that narrowed down my choices pretty quickly!”

By no means are we implying that Goodwin’s work isn’t of the highest caliber though. Over at Chambers USA, the firm is ranked in over 75 departments, showcasing its prowess in areas such as banking & finance, capital markets, corporate/M&A, intellectual property, life sciences, private equity, litigation, and many more. With eight international offices and eight in the States – the associates on our list were split between the Boston and New York offices – sources based in the firm’s hometown were keen to point to its local renown when we asked them why they joined. An insider highlighted, “I didn’t want a firm where the Boston office was an afterthought, so that narrowed down my choices pretty quickly!” With the firm’s dedication to doing great work and fostering a positive environment, it’s no wonder our sources felt Goodwin could take them from good to great.

Strategy & Future

Goodwin is shoring up its established practices with a slew of lateral additions in departments like antitrust, real estate finance and intellectual property, to bolster the firm’s ranks and strengthen its skillset. The firm has also recently announced plans to relocate its San Francisco office to a key location within the city’s financial district. There is also a Brussels office that opened in March 2025.

The Work

Work at Goodwin comes directly from an attorney development manager who works with associates to ensure they’re satisfied with their assignments: “They help us curate our practice to look like what we want,” a junior elaborated. Relationship-based staffing is also available, although sources commented that this tends to come later when associates are more established. Associates are mainly divided between two core groups: business law development and litigation. Within those groups, associates work as generalists for the the first year before specializing in a sub-team.

Business law development (BLD) spans a wide variety of corporate sectors such as real estate, M&A, private equity, financial services, life sciences, and tech. Interviewees enthused that Goodwin is a “life cycle” firm, meaning that associates can be with clients from when they’re startups all the way to when they’re negotiating an M&A deal. “It’s great to be in on the ground floor with clients and evolve with them as an associate,” a junior reflected. Even as a generalist, insiders have the autonomy to steer their practice into whatever niche they’d like to be working in. For example, if an associate wanted to do more work in the tech space, the firm would support that endeavor so long as the business need allows: “Obviously if they need you on something else, then it’s all about doing what you need to and stepping up where you can.” Typical associate tasks include keeping tabs on checklists, drafting ancillary documents, due diligence and integrating comments, as well as running certain processes as you progress. “As I get more senior, I take more ownership, and I can feel the responsibility ramping up,” beamed one associated. “As I get better, the firm is more hands-off with its supervision.”

Corporate clients: Zuora, Novo Holdings, Fusion Pharmaceuticals. Served as co-counsel to Ansys in its $35 billion sale to Synopsys.

“The responsibility really ramps up quickly; I love the transition...”

In the litigation department, interviewees were quick to point out that there’s no end to the areas they cover: “From my perspective, it seems like we do everything!” In reality, this includes teams like commercial litigation, consumer financial services, product liability, antitrust, white collar and government investigations, appellate and intellectual property. We heard that doc review seems to be the entry point for most juniors, but that isn’t the case for long. “You get progressively more responsibility as each year goes on,” an insider told us, “So, you might start to think you’re sick of doc review, but now I’m in my third year and I’m managing cases already!” This quick development was mentioned by other sources who described how “the responsibility really ramps up quickly; I love the transition, and I thrive in a management role.” Associates also found themselves getting experience in drafting motions, managing discovery, research tasks, deposition prep, and client interaction. There is also an element of passing down knowledge as sources took fledgling associates under their wings: “I like that as you progress, you can teach younger people how to do things.”

Litigation clients: Rainmaker Group, Zealand Pharma, Insulet Corporation. Represented Teva in its defense of claims that the company delayed the sale of HIV treatments following a patent litigation in 2014; the matter is worth $3.6 billion in antitrust.

Pro Bono

Sources told us that the firm goes pro bonkers for pro bono, and as a result, the amount of time associates can bill for pro bono work is uncapped. “The firm really does push it here,” an insider shared, “I’ve had the opportunity to take on several matters in this space.” Given the value the firm ascribes to pro bono, it’s no surprise how many causes Goodwin commits to including immigration, prisoner rights, human rights, guardianship and LGBTQ+ rights. Of this, a junior said, “We’re gearing up for something with trans youth rights; GLAAD is one of our biggest partners.”

We did hear that there are more pro bono matters available on the litigation side of things, but other associates didn’t feel like there was a lack of choice: “There are still opportunities, and they come across your desk without having to aggressively seek them out.” Most of the sources on our list had done a sizable amount of pro bono, with many considering it: “a nice supplement for work if you’re slower on things.”

Pro bono hours  

• For all (US) attorneys:  88,948
• Average per (US) attorney: 58.4

Career Development

Three may be a crowd elsewhere, but when it comes to mentors, it’s a Goodwinning system for the firm. Upon joining the ranks, associates are given a partner, senior associate and peer mentor designed to usher them into the world of BigLaw: “I meet with them regularly for monthly coffees and they’ve been really helpful with their guidance.” The development is not exclusive to the formally assigned mentors either, with our sources pointing out that most of the support they get is from within their own teams: “The people I work with have been great at giving detailed feedback so I can learn why things have been changed.”

“I can ask for advice and discuss my goals with anyone here.”

Insiders believed partnership opened up around year seven, but this was not front of mind for our interviewees. “When you’re at my level, it’s more about developing your practice and being in control of your own trajectory,” one stated. That said, most felt the firm did well to retain their associates throughout the years, and for those looking to move elsewhere eventually, we heard you can be honest with the firm: “I can ask for advice and discuss my goals with anyone here.”

Culture & Inclusion

When it comes to the social life at Goodwin, you get out of it as much as you put in, as this interviewee explained: “There’s a group of us that get lunch every day and hang out outside of work, but likewise if you want to work with your door closed, that’s supported here as well.” For those who do want more informal face time with their colleagues, the firm facilitates this through a variety of events like holiday parties, pizza nights and karaoke. Socialization also extends to cross-office affairs, with yearly retreats designed to bring people at the firm together. Suffice to say, those we spoke to were happy to be social with the people of Goodwin, as the firm fosters a palpably warm culture. “They care about who you are as a person,” one source smiled, “and I’m very happy here!”

The firm has a number of active inclusion groups with associated retreats and events allowing all associates to attend and network throughout the offices across the country. Sources pointed out that female representation is strong as well and that the firm’s commitment to an inclusive workplace is clear. “I think we’re well-represented,” an insider nodded, “there’s tons of training on inclusion as well.”

Hours & Compensation

Billable hours: 1,950 target

Goodwin’s associates are looking at an annual 1,950-hour target, including unlimited pro bono hours as well as a few other Goodwin goodies on offer such as cultural and innovation time which includes training sessions, shadowing depositions and other such occasions. There are 25 billable hours up for grabs for each of these extra commitments. Some sources commented that it was a “healthy target and quite reachable,” while others caveated that the reality of that is team dependent. Regardless, the only penalization for juniors not reaching their hours is missing out on the lockstep bonus.

“If you reach your target, you get $5,000 on top for vacation!”

Most associates worked from 9am to around 7pm, adhering to their loose three day in-office policy. “We have a remote-friendly office,” one explained, “three days is the expectation but, in my experience, it’s not enforced super intently.” Weekend work crops up here depending on the matter, we were told, but associates get to enjoy the industry standard salary to make that worth it… along with a few additional perks: “if you reach your target, you get $5,000 on top for vacation!”

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

Applicants interviewed: 1108

Goodwin’s recruitment scope spans the United States and around the world, with both on-campus interview programs and job fairs on the firm's radar. Typically, interviews are conducted virtually by partners and members of the firm’s local hiring committees.

During the interview, interviewers may ask “questions related to work and law school experience, what drew the candidate to law school, and what practice areas interest them.” Hiring partner, Kevin Lam, explains: “We aspire to hire students who are not only passionate about the law, but who are also passionate about practicing at the intersection of capital and innovation where some of the most dynamic areas of our global economy are situated.” In addition, the firm looks to hear “what students are looking for in a legal career, how their unique lived experiences have helped influence their education and career decisions, and why they believe Goodwin is a place where they can thrive.”

Top tips:

“Asking thoughtful questions about our business and the person interviewing you is a great way to demonstrate that you have done your homework. Besides getting to know the firm and the team, it is just as important for us to get to know you; in other words, students should be their most authentic selves because, at Goodwin, we value different backgrounds and perspectives.” – Hiring partner Kevin Lam

“Know the firm’s strengths and weaknesses. A lot of times, candidates just look at rankings but aren’t aware of the firm’s specialties.” – Third-year associate  

Callbacks

Applicants invited to second stage interview: 575

During a standard callback interview, students should expect to meet between four and six attorneys of varying seniority. The interviews themselves are geared toward specific competencies including “interpersonal skills, drive and project management.” Interviewers use predetermined behavioural questions to evaluate a candidate’s potential for success at Goodwin. Students also have the option of attending ‘Super Interview Days,’ which include an office tour and reception in addition to the interviews.

Top tips:

“Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know various Goodwin personalities, whether in-person or over Zoom. Remember, if you are interviewing virtually, it is still critical to dress appropriately, make eye contact, and not read from prepared notes.” – Hiring partner Kevin Lam

Summer program

Offers: 204

Acceptances:  95

Goodwin’s summer program runs for ten weeks. Students have the freedom to try any assignment within either the business law or litigation department. This allows summers to gain exposure to Goodwin’s core practice areas in order to “discover what aspects of law interest them the most and the avenues available within the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial services industries — and where they converge,” says Lam. Assignments are received both from the assignment system and through assignment coordinators. Students also receive mentors from day one. “Our summer program provides summers with concrete, meaningful work assignments that help them gain a real-world perspective while giving them autonomy to navigate their own path in the law,” Lam concludes.

Top tips:

“We foster strong relationships at the firm, so it is encouraged to participate in social events, mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and more. Part of being successful at Goodwin is embracing our collegial culture!”– Hiring partner Kevin Lam